Sabbaticals are paid positions responsible for overseeing the policy and activity zones, and setting the direction for the Students' Union each academic year. They oversee and support the Student Leaders and other voluntary officers in their roles throughout the year.

Student Leaders are responsible for running and representing specific groups within the Students' Union. These range from faculty groups to the media groups to international and postgraduate students. Some roles, such as the Postgraduate Officer, are only open to students within that specific group.

The Trustee roles are voluntary, unpaid positions. The officers in this role will be entrusted, together with other trustees, overall responsibility for the work that the Students' Union undertakes. They focus on the strategic direction of the Students' Union, ensuring that the Union creates and implements strategies that meet its objectives.

Union Senators are elected to reflect the different student bodies that make up the membership of the Students' Union. Any current student at the University of Southampton can become a member of Senate and represent the overall student body on the issues debated at Senate.